


Favourite Mistake

by worldoshaking



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Fluff, Gift Giving, Homemade chocolates, M/M, Valentine's Day, kyo and tohru are platonic best buds, not unrequited they're just idiots, tsundere kyo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29296542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worldoshaking/pseuds/worldoshaking
Summary: Kyo decides to give Yuki homemade chocolates for Valentine's Day... anonymously. What could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Honda Tohru & Sohma Kyou, Sohma Kyou/Sohma Yuki
Comments: 14
Kudos: 32





	Favourite Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't really fit into the canon timeline, but they're still at school and the curse is presumably still in effect.
> 
> Thank you to my amazing beta, [coffee_and_cardamom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee_and_cardamom), for her excellent suggestions! <3
> 
> Thank you to H-chan for all the enthusiasm, the brainstorming sessions and the comments. I love you <3

That Valentine’s day, Yuki found a package of chocolates on his desk. They were clearly homemade, and very neatly packed in a clear bag and tied with a bow.

There was no note—nothing to say who they came from.

Everyone around assured Yuki that the chocolates had already been on his desk when they arrived. It occurred to him that Tohru looked a bit flustered, but that was probably just the excitement of Valentine’s Day. He’d already got chocolates from her, the same ones she gave to everyone in the house; he’d remembered to get chocolates for her, the family and the student council too.

With all the other goings-on that day, Yuki didn’t have much leisure to speculate about who the anonymous chocolates were from. He did get a lot of chocolates; perhaps it was one of the fan club girls who was a bit shyer than the others. He had no idea who it could be from, but it was nice of them, he thought. He was a little embarrassed that he couldn’t do anything to acknowledge the gift, but it was probably better to respect their privacy.

****

The previous night, Tohru had awoken in the middle of the night and gone downstairs to get a glass of water.

The clatter of dishes in the kitchen surprised her. She halted at the sight of Kyo with his sleeves rolled up, stirring a big bowl with a wooden spoon. By the looks of it, he was trying to make chocolates from a recipe.

He was too absorbed in what he was doing to notice her, and she decided not to draw attention to herself: this was clearly something he wanted to do himself, and keep secret. Perhaps it would be best to exit noiselessly and leave him to it. 

But then Kyo slumped down on the floor by the kitchen table, apparently on the point of giving up.

Tohru thought she knew what this was about, and her heart went out to him. She had to intervene, if only to offer moral support.

‘Kyo-kun! You’re up late!’ she said brightly, walking into the kitchen.

Kyo looked up with a start. He got to his feet quickly. ‘Sorry, Tohru, did the noise wake you?’

‘No, I was thirsty, and came down to get a drink of water.’ Tohru glanced at the mixing bowls, as though noticing them for the first time. ‘Ooh, are you making chocolates?’

Kyo blushed. ‘Yes.’

‘That’s great, Kyo-kun!’

‘Well, some of them are for you. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I guess you’ve caught me red-handed. I was on the point of giving up, though. I can’t seem to get the consistency right, and I realised I didn’t have a mould or anything to make them in.’

‘Oh, you can use my trays!’ said Tohru. ‘And one of my aprons. I can help you make them if you like.’

Kyo flushed. ‘Well, no, this is something I should do myself. And besides, some of these are for you, I can’t let you make your own chocolates.’

Tohru nodded. ’How about you do them yourself, and I just stay here for moral support? Then you can ask if you need help! I couldn’t get to sleep anyway.’

Kyo smiled at her enthusiasm. He bonked her gently on the head. ’Thanks, Tohru. I’ll take you up on that, then. Sit down, I’ll make you a cup of tea.’

Tohru sat down at the kitchen table. Kyo put the kettle on and donned the borrowed apron.

‘I must look silly, making chocolates in the dead of night like this,’ he said.

‘Not at all! I don’t think it’s silly to want to do something nice for someone else,’ said Tohru earnestly.

A little flush crept into Kyo’s cheek. ‘Even if…’ he hesitated.

Tohru had a pretty good idea of who Kyo wanted to give the chocolates to, and she understood why he was embarrassed. But she also knew some things he didn’t—she was pretty sure that his fears were unfounded.

She couldn’t tell him so without betraying a confidence, though.

‘I’m sure whoever they’re for would be happy to get chocolates from you,’ she said, hoping she wasn’t putting her oar in. 

Kyo didn’t seem to mind, though. He gazed at the counter thoughtfully. ‘Well, you see, with that person, things are a bit complicated. I think they might … hate me.’

’I’m sure no-one has reason to hate you, Kyo-kun,’ said Tohru. ‘But in the end, you can only do your best to sort things out. You’re trying hard to reach out to them and make things right, in your own way, aren’t you?’

Kyo stirred the mixture moodily. ’I hadn’t planned to do this. I don’t even _want_ to give them chocolates. But I ended up doing it anyway.’

‘Love isn’t something you can help,’ said Tohru wisely.

Kyo blushed so hard she could feel the heat.

He turned away and took refuge in the corner behind the kitchen cabinet. ‘Oh, gods. It’s not _love_ or anything! I don’t even _like_ them.’

Tohru would have given anything to laugh, but she forced herself to keep a straight face. ‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of,’ she said gravely. ‘In fact, it’s very beautiful.’

‘But that’s… that’s not…’

‘It’s very honest and courageous to tell someone who you feel.’

‘But I don’t _know_ how I feel. It’s not as if I actually _like_ them…’

‘Well, anyway,’ said Tohru, ‘let’s not overthink it. You wanted to make them chocolates, so we’ll make chocolates. You’ve got the ingredients ready and all.’

Kyo followed her lead gratefully.

Tohru sat at the kitchen table and sipped her tea. 

Kyo didn’t really need much help once he had the equipment, but it was comforting to have her there. Tohru looked rosy and comfortable, sitting there in her big sweater and holding a big mug of tea in both hands. The sight of her calmed him down, and smoothed out the wrinkles in his thoughts; being around Tohru made it natural to think soft, kind things. Maybe caring for someone and trying to do something nice for them wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

If only kindness came naturally to him, as it did to Tohru.

‘Is that a new sweater?’ Kyo knew who the sweater belonged to; he didn’t dare mention Yuki directly, but he felt like talking about him.

‘Oh, it’s one of Yuki-kun’s!’ said Tohru brightly. ‘He lent it to me, it was very kind of him.’

Kyo tried to look like he had no particular relationship with the name. Normally, he would have seen through Tohru’s attempt at nonchalance right away - Tohru was a terrible liar - but right now he was too preoccupied to notice.

‘You can borrow my clothes too, you know,’ he said. ‘They’re much nicer than his.’

Tohru smiled at him. ’Thank you, Kyo-kun!’

Tohru watched as Kyo mixed the ingredients thoroughly and divided the whole into two parts. He mixed Yuki’s favourite hazelnuts into one bowl, and added vanilla essence to the other for Tohru.

He poured them into Tohru’s trays, as she instructed him to do. He smoothed them over several times, trying to make the surface as neat as he could.

‘How long will these take?’ he asked.

‘A few hours, I usually leave them in the fridge overnight. They’ll be done easily in time for this morning. Are you giving them the chocolates at school?’

‘Yes, I’m going to leave them on their desk.’ Kyo hesitated. ‘Um, Tohru. If anyone mentions it, could you please keep it secret that they’re from me?’

Tohru’s eyes widened. ’Aren’t you going to put your name on them?’

‘No,’ said Kyo firmly. ‘I want them to eat my chocolates, but it’s too embarrassing if they know who I am. They probably don’t want chocolates from me in the first place.’

Tohru suppressed a sigh. After all, Yuki would probably figure it out. Wait, was it disloyal to Kyo to hope that?

She knew she couldn’t reason Kyo out of this, though. It was still a big step for him; at least he was acknowledging his feelings to himself, if not to Yuki. One step at a time.

‘Yes, that’ll be very nice!’ she said brightly. ‘Then you get to do something nice for them without having to stress about it.’

Kyo bonked Tohru on the head again. ‘Guess you talked me into doing it, huh? Thanks, Tohru. I wouldn’t have done it without you.’

Tohru smiled. ‘Do your best, Kyo-kun! I’ll be cheering you on.’

When Tohru smiled at you like that, you _had_ to do your best. Kyo knew he couldn’t chicken out after this, even if he had second thoughts.

****

Kyo had reason to be anxious. Several times over the past few weeks, he had suspected that Yuki knew his secret. Something about the way Yuki kept drawing closer to him and gazing meaningfully into his eyes before punching him when they fought. And his gaze would sometimes linger on Kyo’s lips, with an infuriating half-smile, as though he was daring Kyo to say something.

Kyo hated that half-smile. And he hated Yuki, but he loved him too. He loved those fine expressive features, with their capacity for infinite scorn or infinite tenderness. He loved Yuki’s irony, his charm, his grace and proficiency at everything he took up. Yuki was perfect. Not because he was the prince or the rat, but because he was Yuki. Kyo hated him for that perfection, for being impossible not to love.

In spite of everything, the thought of Yuki eating chocolates he had made sent a flutter through his heart. Perhaps Yuki would smile a little, and wonder who had made them for him. And maybe he’d keep thinking about that person, trying to imagine what they were like, perhaps a little happy in the thought that someone cared about him secretly and unselfishly.

He had to keep wondering, though. If he found out… Kyo turned cold at the thought of how things would be if Yuki found out. He couldn’t hand his worst enemy a weapon like that.

Yuki gave him enough hell as it was.

His love and his hate were two separate things, two different existences. Two exacting, jealous gods, that demanded their own tributes. It wouldn’t do to mix them up.

  
****

Kyo got up at four in the morning to take the chocolates out of the fridge, in mortal terror lest someone hear him and come to investigate.

He carried them to his room and packed them carefully into bags. He didn’t have Tohru’s knack for making things pretty, but at least he was precise and careful enough to make a neat package. Both bags looked fairly respectable when he was done.

He’d give Tohru hers in secret, to make sure Yuki wouldn’t have a chance to spot the resemblance.

  
****

Valentine’s Day was rather a terrifying occasion for the zodiac members. Most of the boy zodiacs had been brought up to avoid girls on account of the curse, so they had no idea how to navigate the complex web of conventions and emotions that the day entailed. Besides, with everyone’s passions running high, there was always the fear that someone would try to hug them and trigger the curse. Valentine’s Day was a stark reminder that they were different from everyone else, and that the curse meant they would never really fit in.

Kyo hated Valentine’s Day; he was thoroughly out of his depth, and it made him antsy and irritable. Although he had nowhere near Yuki’s popularity, he did get his share of chocolates from girls in his class. These did nothing to allay his uneasiness; he never knew how to respond, and viewed them with deep apprehension, mixed with a little guilt at his own indifference.

He had learned some of the ways of civilisation, but sometimes the cat in him just wanted to make a run for it when he was in a stressful situation. Today was one of those days; when the noise and excitement of the classroom became too much for him, he gave in to the impulse and bolted out of the room.

Yuki watched him go. He knew that Kyo would not expect or welcome any sympathy from him, but he couldn’t help but remember how helpless and bewildered he’d felt the first Valentine’s Day after he’d transferred here. And it was probably worse for a wild cat like Kyo, who’d been the outcast for much of his life and had never really got used to being around other people. No wonder he’d yeeted out of the classroom, as Kakeru would say. Yuki was probably the only person in the room who could imagine just how disoriented and frightened he was. 

In his heart of hearts Yuki still shared Kyo’s unease; he owned to himself that perhaps he wanted companionship more than Kyo did. 

Giving in to the impulse, he followed Kyo out into the school grounds to where he had taken refuge in a secluded corner between the buildings.

Kyo glared at him. ‘Have you come to gloat?’

‘No,’ said Yuki. He hesitated. ‘Valentine’s Day _is_ terrifying, isn’t it?’

Kyo shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t know what it’s like for someone as popular as Your Highness. I’m just afraid that some girl will get over-excited and trigger the curse.’

‘You know, girls aren’t an alien species,’ said Yuki. ‘It’s just that we never had a chance to get to know them before Tohru. Lots of them are probably feeling the same way we are.’

‘Did you come here to lecture me?’

‘No. I wanted to talk to someone whom I wouldn’t have to be on guard with.’

Kyo swung round to face him. ‘We are not friends, you damn rat. Stop trying to _bond_ with me! We have nothing in common.’

Yuki kept his face impassive. Surely he hadn’t really hoped for anything else.

‘Well, anyway,’ he said casually, ‘there was a bargain sale on chocolates at the supermarket, so I got some for everyone in the family. You can have these if you like.’

When he saw Kyo’s face, he wondered for a moment if Kyo was going to punch him. But then he decided he’d been mistaken; Kyo seemed merely exhausted and miserable, as though he was too broken in spirit even to be angry.

‘Whatever. I don’t care,’ he said.

What on earth was that about?

It wouldn’t have been so bad if he was properly affronted.

 _At least my intentions were good,_ thought Yuki. He resolved not to dwell on it. No matter how infuriating Kyo was, he wasn’t going to descend to his level. He had tried to do the normal, civilised thing and not pointedly exclude his rival from social formalities.

He’d done it for himself, not for Kyo, as a reminder that he’d grown and changed.

Kyo hadn’t changed at all. Was he going to hate Yuki forever? It was exhausting to think about.

Yuki had resolved long ago to eschew both hope and disappointment when it came to Kyo, so he had a lot of practice in turning away from those feelings and firmly shutting the door on them. It did no good to dwell on things beyond one’s control, and there were some people you could never get through to. It had taken him a long time to learn that.

  
****

‘Hey, Yuki,’ said Haru, materialising in the corridor and attaching himself to Yuki.

‘Hey, Haru,’ said Yuki. ‘Oh yeah, I have chocolates for you.’

’You got me chocolates? That’s sweet, thanks!’ Haru gave him a hug.

 _That’s how Kyo was supposed to react,_ said a voice in Yuki’s head. He ignored it.

‘How’s catboy coping today?’ said Haru. ‘I saw him wandering around your classroom ridiculously early this morning. He seemed in a bit of a panic.’

Yuki shrugged. ‘Who knows what goes on inside that idiot’s head.’

‘You all right? You look a bit stressed out.’

‘Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit frazzled from all the Valentine’s Day excitement.’

‘All right, then. Take care of yourself,’ said Haru. He waved a hand in farewell and went back to his classroom.

****

Yuki made his way back to his desk.

Something about the chocolates nudged at his memory. He wasn’t sure what.

He took a closer look. One of them had a little dent in them, the same way one of Tohru’s did. As though someone had used her tray to make them…

In fact, they did look a bit like Tohru’s chocolates. They weren’t as beautifully made, but they looked… well, neat. As though someone had taken a lot of trouble over them, following a recipe as meticulously as they could, compensating for inexperience with care.

Something about the wrapping tugged at his memory too. The way the bow was tied, lumpy but symmetrical, like the bow on Kyo’s shoelaces. Not pretty, but neat.

And then there was the orange colour of the ribbon.

He remembered Tohru’s flushed face that morning, as though she knew something and was trying very hard to look like she didn’t. Haru’s story about Kyo wandering around in the morning. Kyo’s expression when Yuki casually handed him store-bought chocolates with a nonsensical story about a bargain sale.

Suddenly it all made sense. Yuki had to stop himself laughing out loud.

He almost couldn’t believe it. Just when he’d all but given up hope.

It was so like that idiot cat to be more ashamed of one kind gesture than a hundred absurd fights. It _was_ a little cute, though.

It was even cuter that he’d actually thought he could get away with this.

****

‘Yuki-kun, you haven’t tried the anonymous chocolates?’ said Tohru.

‘I’m not sure if they’re even for me,’ Yuki said, loudly enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear. ‘My name isn’t on them or anything. I’ll have to wait and see if someone claims them.’

When he got back from the student council room, there was a piece of paper pinned to the package with his name on it. He didn’t recognise the handwriting, but there was something familiar about it. It was killingly neat and precise, with a faint irony to the corners. It belonged to someone who was tidier than he would admit.

Yuki smiled to himself.

‘I hope this isn’t someone trying to poison me,’ he said loudly. ‘Surely only someone with bad intentions would give chocolates anonymously like this.’

‘Yuki-kun!’ said Tohru, shocked. ‘What if someone likes you, but they’re really shy? You shouldn’t be so cruel to them.’

‘Well, then they’re a coward. They have nothing whatsoever to be ashamed about, and yet they chose the easiest way to express their feelings without giving me a chance to respond. How do they know how I feel if I never have a chance to say it?’ Yuki couldn’t resist looking over at Kyo when he said this.

He wasn’t prepared for the shock in Kyo’s eyes. Kyo turned red as a beet, and ran out of the room without a word, like a hunted animal.

Yuki excused himself and went to look for him. Now that he thought about it, he had pushed Kyo a bit too hard. It _had_ been a little cruel of him.

He’d just been so happy that he hadn’t thought it over beforehand.

****

Kyo hid under a tree and buried his head in his arms. Yuki had figured it out. He would never live this down. He couldn’t ever face Yuki after this. Maybe he ought to run away to the dojo, or go and live in the mountains so he never had to see him again.

A shadow fell over the grass, and someone squatted nearby. He didn’t look up.

‘Idiot cat,’ said Yuki’s voice, with surprising gentleness. ‘If you don’t tell me the chocolates are from you, how can I thank you for them?’ He paused. ‘I was happy that you made me chocolates. Really. I’m sorry I baited you like that, I just couldn’t resist the chance to tease you a bit.’

Kyo raised his head. Tears shone in his eyes. ’This is all a joke to you, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘I’m just another creepy weirdo like those fan club girls who stalk you and fight over you when you were never interested in them in the first place. You think it’s funny to expose my feelings and call me a coward. Well, I’m sorry you didn’t like my gift, I won’t give you one next time! Is it any wonder I didn’t put my name on it?’ He was weeping outright now.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Yuki. ‘That was terrible of me. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. I just don’t know how to talk to you normally.’

He moved over to sit next to Kyo, keeping his eyes averted to give him privacy. ‘And I was wrong to call you a coward, it was kind and brave of you to give me a gift.’

Kyo made a small noise of acknowledgement. Yuki didn’t dare look to see if he was still weeping. He had to tread carefully here, and not damage things beyond repair. But this was also his chance to finally make things better.

Kyo had finally let his barriers down, and Yuki could approach. It felt good to be honest after dissembling so long. It felt right to be kind, to stop denying the tenderness he had always felt.

‘I think the two of us started out all wrong, Kyo,’ he said. ‘There are so many circumstances against us, and nothing we try to say to each other comes out right. I know I was often to blame, but I never wanted to be your enemy. Do you think it’s too late for us to start over?’

‘You make it sound so easy,’ said Kyo bitterly. There was a little catch in his voice, though he was clearly trying to keep it steady. ‘You have no idea what I’m going through.’

‘Of course I don’t,’ said Yuki. ‘But will you let me try?’

He took the box of chocolates out of his bag, carefully undid the wrapping and popped one into his mouth. ‘They’re good,’ he said indistinctly. ‘Have some.’

‘They’re for you,’ said Kyo, still a little sniffly. ‘And who are you to offer me my own chocolates?’

’I want to eat them with you, though,’ said Yuki.

Kyo blushed, and took one without a word. Yuki suppressed a smile.

They sat there eating chocolates in silence and watching the sky turn golden with the evening.

‘They’re so much better than mine. Next time, I’ll make chocolates for you too,’ said Yuki. 

_If there is a next time,_ thought Kyo. And it hit him that he wanted there to be a next time. Another chance to sit and talk to Yuki like this, as close to normal as people like them could find.

‘Better stick to store-bought,’ he said gruffly. ‘You’ll set the kitchen on fire.’

Yuki chuckled. ‘Yeah, maybe.’

It seemed so easy all of a sudden. Being with Yuki, talking to him as though they were old friends. If only things could always be like this…

‘You know,’ said Yuki lightly, ‘it _was_ a little selfish of you to give me a present, but no chance to tell you how I feel in response.’

Kyo stiffened instantly. He knew he shouldn’t have let his guard down around the damn rat. Of course he was playing with him. ‘Well, I know how you feel! You don’t have to rub it in,’ he said roughly. He made as if to run away, but Yuki caught him by the wrist.

‘Are you sure about that?’ said Yuki, leaning over and looking deep into his eyes.

Kyo clenched his fist. ‘Are you making fun of me again?’

Yuki slammed his hand into the tree trunk, pinning Kyo to the tree. ‘You’re not going to run away until I’ve told you how I feel, idiot cat. I’ve loved you since I first saw you. I hated you, too, but that came later. You’re beautiful and courageous and honest, but also a total idiot. You kept picking fights with me when I wanted to be friends, and then you went and left anonymous chocolates on my desk. You keep pushing other people away because you think you don’t deserve friendship and happiness, regardless of how much you hurt them in the process. It’s so selfish. God, I hate you so much.’

He moved closer, and kissed Kyo gently on the lips. ‘I really do hate you,’ he whispered.

Kyo reached out haltingly to touch his face, and leaned forward to kiss him.

‘I hate you too,’ he said gruffly.

Yuki’s scent was strange and yet familiar; he had lived with him so long that he had forgotten to notice it. Yuki was a different person, and yet he was Yuki, laughing and ironic and gentle. The person he fought with. The person he lived with.

The person he loved.

He loved Yuki so much it hurt. He realised now that his hatred had just been love all along, wearing a different face. There was so much he wanted to tell Yuki that he didn’t know where to start, and the unsaid words were a lump in his throat.

Yuki’s lips brushed his face. He nuzzled Kyo’s cheek, and leaned over to whisper into his ear: ‘I love you.’

He pulled away, and his eyes laughed into Kyo’s, defying him to deny what they both knew.

Kyo blushed to the roots of his ears. ‘I—I love you too,’ he said.

The words felt unfamiliar, and yet right, like the taste of Yuki’s kiss.

He had so much more to tell him, but that was a good place to start.

  
****

It was late evening when they finally walked home. When they went in together, Tohru looked a little too pleased with herself.

‘Welcome home, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun,’ she said brightly.

—————————————-

**Author's Note:**

> The fic is named after Linnea Dale's beautiful song of the same name. 
> 
> Tohru wasn't meant to be in this fic, but she wandered in and I couldn't say no :D I wish I had the space to give her a whole story of her own, I shall have to write another fic for her!
> 
> I enjoy writing tsundere Kyo and evil Yuki far too much.


End file.
